Wampler - Dinner for two : easy and innovative recipes for one, two, or a few

TO MY HUSBAND, JASON Thank you for being my biggest supporter and my best friend. I know that during the year it took to develop this cookbook, a lot of sacrifices were made, and yet you did not complain once. Thank you for always encouraging me to push on, despite the many times I threw in the towel out of sheer frustration. The blog and this book could not have happened without your love and support. TO MY PARENTS, DAVID AND BECKY Thank you for growing my love of food from the very beginning. You both always encouraged me to chase my dreams and to never give up.

Thank you for all the opportunities you have given me, and thank you for all the advice, support, and love that you both continually give. Im the woman I am today because of you two.

I LOVE FOOD AND YOU LOVE FOOD, RIGHT? Lets love food together and start from the beginning.... Ive always loved food. I get excited by ingredients, and I love seeing what new and creative dishes I can make out of them. As a child I always chose to watch cooking shows over cartoons (PBSs Yan Can Cook, anyone?).

I liked watching the host chop up onions, brown meats, and measure out ingredients. I learned kitchen tips and tricks, and I would file them away in my head for use at a later time (and I was so excited when a tip or trick actually worked like it was supposed to). While growing up, I loved being in the kitchen with my mom, even when I got tasked with washing the potatoes or rinsing the rice. I was thrilled when she let me do something cool like stir the pot or saut garlic and onions. The older I got, the more responsibilities I was given in the kitchen, and I loved it all! I believe that being constantly surrounded by the excitement of preparing food is where I picked up my desire to share that excitement with everyone. Homemade meals were a thing in our household.

Since the very beginning, my mom instilled in me the idea that the best meals are homemade meals. She wouldnt let my brother and I go to school with just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She made it a point to make lunches that would blow our friends lunches out of the water. Homemade sushi in our lunch boxes? Yup, it happened. Not only did we have rock star lunches, we would have a home-cooked meal every single night of the week. Looking back, I dont know how my mom and dad were able to work full-time jobs and then come home and prepare amazing dinners for two starving kids.

I dont even have kids, and many nights I want to come home and just lie in bed and watch endless amounts of Netflix with Chinese takeout next to mealthough my husband might not approve of that. Anyway, the point is my parents didnt find any of this to be a chore, because in the end their efforts provided us with a delicious home-cooked meal and love. Showing someone how much you love him or her through food is the best expression of love I know. Many of the memories I have are tied to food in one way or another. That correlation between food, love, and memories is at the root of why I started my food blog Table for Two. I titled my blog Table for Two not for the serving sizes of my recipes but because this title aptly describes the lifestyle that my husband and I enjoy.

However, shortly after I started blogging, a number of readers sent me e-mails asking how to cut down a particular recipe for just one or two people, or if I could post more recipes for two. Well, I thought, why not write an entire book on dinner entres for two? My cooking mantra has always been quick, easy, and delicious any night of the week. I truly believe this cookbook can help you achieve this too. All the recipes here are pared down for two, and should produce little or no leftovers. The beauty of these recipes is that the ingredient lists arent complicated; most will probably be in your pantry or freezer! If the ingredients for a recipe require a run to the grocery store, try to prepare a menu plan for the week before going to the store so that you can grab everything in one trip. Making a homemade dinner every night is easier when everything you need is already in your kitchen.

I want to share with everyone my love for food, and I want to show that cooking a delicious home-cooked meal doesnt have to be complicated or fancy. My hope with this cookbook is that youll get into the kitchen, make some new recipes that will become your favorites, and be inspired to share your love of food with everyone around you!

INVEST IN SMALLER CASSEROLE DISHES. When cooking for two, you wont need large 8-quart casserole dishes. You will find that 1-, 2-, or even 3-quart casserole dishes are perfect for making many of the dishes described in this book. A 4-QUART SLOW COOKER IS THE RIGHT SIZE FOR TWO. When I make slow cooker dishes, I use a 4-quart slow cooker because its the perfect size for our meals. Sure, you can go smaller, but the 4-quart size allows you to cook for a larger crowd when needed. KOSHER SALT IS YOUR FRIEND. The recipes in this book call for plain kosher salt.

When cooking, I use kosher salt (as opposed to table salt) because it provides a fresh and clean taste to food. Table salt, when iodized, can give a dish a metallic flavor; but not only that, the granule size of table salt makes it more potent and strong. The difference between 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of table salt can make or break a dish. SEASON TO TASTE. Every recipe in this book gives a salt and pepper measurement based on a general taste preference. Of course, these preferences vary for everyone. If you feel a dish needs that extra oomph, by all means add some more salt or pepper or seasonings.

Remember that you can always add more seasonings, but you cant take them out, so definitely taste as you go! GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE. Yes, its convenient to grab the pre-shredded stuff, but theres just nothing better than freshly grated cheese. It melts better, does not put that powdery, gritty substance in your dishes, and it ultimately tastes and looks better on all your food! CHECK YOUR OVEN RACKS. Different heights in the oven yield different results in baked dishes. To yield even baking results, use a rack that is placed in the middle of the oven.

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